[Melmo]

I get bad anxiety at work. I feel pressure in my head, have hot flashes. I get dizzy and light headed. I will get headaches and have stomach pain, a feeling like someone is twisting my insides, and I get a lump in my throat. Sometimes I get chest pains. I feel really overwhelmed and frustrated to the point I just want to sit and cry, or scream. My manager lately has been getting me to do some jobs that I am not used to doing or haven't done in a long time. I work in a restaurant and am mostly cashier but she's been getting me to do kitchen stuff. My brain is so foggy all the time that I have to think about what I'm doing and what I need to do next, and my boss is always right behind me barking orders, like do this, do that, hurry up, we're behind schedule etc. in these times I feel like just walking out the door. I never say anything, I let her walk all over me and make me feel like **** because I can't stand up for myself.
Does anyone else have similar experiences when anxious?

[IndieVisible]

Ranges from feeling a little worried about I don't know what to feeling impending doom to out right panic attack where I have shortness of breath and my heart feels like it's skipping.

For me this can be triggered by any event often I know why some times I have no idea why. Benzo's help remove the rough edges for me.

[Cyran0]

Originally Posted by IndieVisible

Ranges from feeling a little worried about I don't know what to feeling impending doom to out right panic attack where I have shortness of breath and my heart feels like it's skipping.

This pretty much nailed it.

[Shadow13]

My anxiety goes from "just" hyper aware to pounding head/heart, breath-stopping, skin-crawling panic.
Since I'm just beginning my healing journey, I often don't know when it'll strike nor what triggers it. Being at work when it happens adds to the panic soup.
I'm sorry you're having these problems. I pray you find the way past them

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

OK, so we're talking symptoms. Well, I have most of the common anxiety symptoms:

Sweaty palms.
(I, thankfully, don't profusely sweat, all that bad. As long as I keep my body temperature cool, I can avoid this embarrassing and unattractive problem. Sweaty palms, for me, is merely an annoyance.)

Uneven breathing.
(I often take shallow breaths, which is likely due to being anxious most, if not all, of the time; I think this is a big contributor to the worsening of my anxiety issues)

Heart palpitations.
(I get these a lot, and have done for at least 12 years, I'd say)

Unable to concentrate.
(for example, if I'm outside with a friend and they are talking to me, chances are, I'll struggle to concentrate on the conversation, for being too anxious and distracted with the noises, people, cars, etc)

Feeling agitated or jittery.
(thanks for reminding me of the jitteryness anxiety gives me, tealBumblebee, as I often shake my leg, tap my fingers, or fidget with something.)

Unable or unwilling to sleep.

Talking very fast, or slurred.

Pacing a lot.
(this is a bit of a contradiction, as I actually pace in order to use the energy, to battle the anxiety)

Twitches, shaking, and/or trembling.
(twitching has become a problem that I noticed, over the past few years, but I believe I have always been a trembler, due to the constant anxiety)

Digestive/bowel problems as a result of constant high anxiety.

Chest pains.
(usually on my left side, around the lung area, which fits the restrictive breathing symptom and seems normal)

Difficulty breathing.
(restriction and pain, if it's pretty bad)

Feeling hopeless - close to tears, watery eyes, or even, in very rare cases, actually crying.
(usually with a severe panic attack, with which I would feel very desperate)

Lethargy.
(this especially occurs after a particularly bad anxiety spike, or at the end of a very rough day.)

Desperation.
(I'm only listing this, because I believe in serious anxiety, it can be common to feel desperate. When I'm in this way, I can and have done things like, woken my parents up and insisted we went to the hospital in Oxford, because of things like chest pains, at 4am or something crazy like that. I've resorted to self-harm, alcohol, and then there's that thing that releases dopamine, hint hint)

Sexual dysfunction.
(this has caused problems in relationships and stuff; as long as I'm with someone whom I can trust and they are patient with me, then this isn't too severe an issue, but it does take time to knock down all those barriers the anxiety seems to put up, in order to feel that comfortable and relaxed)

Lack of appetite, or increased appetite.
(I believe that this is so, because, in the wild, if there were to be a tiger chasing you, you wouldn't stop for a sandwich, would you? But all the same, with the amount of anxiety I'm constantly going through, it's more demanding, I suppose. I need to make sure my body has energy and other things, in order to maintain such a ... level of alertness.)

There really are a myriad of other symptoms, but the above ones are all of which I have, in varying severity.

I've suffered with this crap, for probably 15 or more years. I'm now 27, and I doubt I'll ever be the normal I so desperately wish to be.

[tealBumblebee]

My anxiety (although, for me its not so bad, often I have symptoms i just think of as normal) has shown up in the following ways:

> Panic Attack (only had one) - shortness of breath, jittery, couldn't lay down, chest heavy, anxious
> Diarrhea - this can happen in almost a ten second span
> Knots in my stomach
> Headache
> Tired - to the point that I have to take a nap
> I get an overwhelming feeling of fear that something bad is about to happen
> Irritability
> Jittery - can't sit still, have to keep moving even if its shaking my legs or walking in small circles
> Itching - hate that one, but the most common, even had this as a small child
> Rapid Heartbeat

Its depends on if I am anxious about something or if the anxiety has just come on by itself.

When I am worrying about something the thoughts go round and around in my head making me feel worse and bringing on symptoms. This kind of anxiety I can use positive self talk for and convince myself it is all going to be ok. Usually my fears are unlikely or unreasonable and when they are I can work to change them. If I cant change the thoughts I postpone the worry for another time.

Other times its brought on by stresses - work, socialising etc. I am finding I am stronger than I think and if I keep pushing myself I can keep it from exploding. This feels like a heavy brick is in the middle of my chest. My chest usually hurts and breathing feels hard. I get nausea and the runs, sometimes I will throw up. I can get dizzy and my vision goes black. In these times it is all physical, I feel physically so ill that I dont want to leave the house. But I push and get out there and the longer I am out and doing things the better I get as the day goes on.

Sometimes it just comes on by itself. It can range from a niggling "theres something wrong feeling" right through to full on panic attacks. I find this type of anxiety hardest to deal with and I cant identify triggers or thought patterns and I feel helpless. I usually will do some relaxation, exercise or I will sit with the animals. This calms me but doesnt always 'cure' it. I use PRN medication if it gets really bad and I feel I am going to have an attack. Most of the time, if I can get to sleep, I feel better the next day (not necessarily the next morning) but it gives my body some time to go off high alert and it is much less tiring to deal with after I have had a good nights rest. I can wake up in the morning and plan my day to deal with the anxiety using healthy coping techniques.

When I am anxious it is harder to understand and carry out instructions, I usually have to say "stop" to myself, then make a list of what I need to do. Keeping calm and focused can be hard work but it is the perfect distraction for anxiety.

[Max]

Lack of appetite with bouts of increased hunger
( I pick healthy choices for those times)

Racing heartbeat, sweats or chills ( I'm wayyy past menopause)

Bouts of agoraphobia for no reason

In the worst attacks I don't recognize where I am, have to wait and get my bearings as attack starts to subside.

Mental confusion and lack of being able to prioritize my next tasks

The only thing I haven't had go wonky is my sleep cycle, I keep it regular. Weird huh?

[MercilessShadow]

Stomach cramps
Chest pains
Arm itches
Can't concentrate
Can't sit/stand still

Depends on severe the attack is. Right now I just needed tums because stomach is upset wondering when my meds are going to make it today. At there worse my heart is beating out of my chest, my mind is shattered like glass, my arms and legs are numb and tingle, my hands and feet are ice. I can't form a coherent thought let alone talk.

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[avlady]

All of the above i've experienced in an anxiety attack, different symptoms at different times and i don't know what the triggers are. I try deep breathing but sometimes even that doesn't help, i just go through it scared out of my mind something bad is going to happen, and i don't even know why.

It can take a lot of practice to get to notice your triggers. I keep a journal to help me. And remember, sometimes the anxiety attack doesn't even have a trigger-happy but those times are abnormal for me.

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